The Life of a Hero
by Mylinda Antoinette
Summary: When Captain Planet and Gaia realize that their relationship has become something more than that of "best friends", what will happen? Formerly known as "The Pain of our Hearts".
1. The First Twinge

Author's Note: Sorry if the characters are a bit OOC… I have only seen one episode in at least 6 six years and I only saw it a couple days ago. I know VERY LITTLE about Gaia's personality as a result! Please bear with me and point out any minor disparities. Thank you!

And there will be a sequel following this, a short one, maybe three chapters IF I'M LUCKY! If not, it will be one or two, most likely two. POSSIBLY this will become a trilogy. This story will be at least 10 chapters, but preferably 15 and POSSIBLY 20, again if I'm lucky. Also, watch for my Captain Planet Fanfiction tribute to Steve Irwin, A Hero Lost. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: The First Twinge

Captain Planet and Gaia watched the Planeteers as they engaged in a friendly game of volleyball. Cap smiled as he watched the five children who had become like sons and daughters to him. Then a sudden wave of sadness passed over him. He knew that his work saving the planet was important to him, but just the same, he wanted to have real sons and daughters. He could picture himself looking down into the face of the little azure-skinned girl tugging on his leg, looking up at him with her little green hair tied up in little bows, and picking up the little blue-skinned, green-haired boy and swinging him through the air.

Gaia noticed his suddenly pensive state and laid a hand on his arm, jostling him out of his thoughts. "My friend, something troubles you. What is it?" He looked up at her and smiled slightly.

"Oh, it's nothing, Gaia," he lied. Gaia shook her head slightly at him and pursed her lips a little.

"Now, now, Planet," she said, clicking her tongue, "you should know better than to lie to me!" She put an arm across his shoulders, ignoring the slight jolt that ran up her arm as it did every time she touched him. She had always dismissed this jolt, as she knew that it could very well have been caused by the immense amounts of power he possessed. Yet something in the back of her mind insisted that it was something deeper than that…

Cap sighed slightly, smiling sadly. "I can't hide anything from you, can I," he said, more as a statement than a question. Gaia shook her head a little, smiling widely. "Well…" he began in an attempt to tell her what was wrong, but found he couldn't. After all, how does a guy, even a superhero, go about telling his greatest friend, even though she is his dearest confidante, that all he wants is to settle down and raise a family? He reached out to her telepathically. Gaia suddenly understood what her dear friend was going through, as she too sometimes had thoughts like these. Even though all of the people of Earth were like sons and daughters to her, she wanted to have the experience of _truly_ becoming a mother, an experience that she didn't think she'd ever get to have.

Brushing these thoughts aside, Gaia returned her attention to comforting her friend. "Planet, everything will be all right. I'm confident that you'll have the chance to be a father someday, and you'll be a good one, too!"

Cap smiled at her, laying his free hand on the hand resting on his arm. "Thank you, Gaia," he replied gratefully. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that from you." At that, the two friends realized that the volleyball game had taken a sudden pause. Then Cap suddenly heard Ma-Ti's voice in his mind.

"Captain, are you all right? I am sensing feelings of great anguish from you." The unmistakable concern in the young Kayapo's voice made the superhero smile.

"Yes, Ma-Ti, if not now, I will be soon," he reassured the youngest of the Planeteers. Ma-Ti seemed satisfied with that answer and Cap and Gaia watched the screen in front of them as he seemed to tell the other Planeteers what Cap had told him. They nodded in acceptance and continued the game. Gaia turned back to look at Cap and continued the little conversation they had begun.

"You know, Planet, I feel the same way on occasion," she admitted. Cap looked surprised.

"You do?" he inquired. He would have never guessed that the spirit in front of him would have the same feelings of longing for a real child, one she could call her own. She smiled brightly, nodding.

"Yes," she replied. "You may think it strange, since, in a way, I am already the mother of every living thing on me," she continued, making reference to the planet she represented. "All I'm saying is that it's perfectly natural to want to have a biological child. It's the desire of most living things on this planet, and just because you're a superhero doesn't mean you should be an exception.

Cap smiled and hugged her. "Thank you, Gaia," he thanked her. But while she was in his hug, she suddenly cried out in pain. Cap withdrew from the hug. "Gaia, are you all right?"

She shook her head. "There's an eco-emergency, Planet, and it's bad this time." She prepared herself to alert the Planeteers, but as an afterthought, she turned to Cap and warned him, "Planet, this mission will be extremely difficult for you. Looten Plunder has started an illegal mining operation in Alaska. His mine is producing large amounts of smog and toxic wastes. I'm going to tell the Planeteers to wait to call you until it becomes absolutely necessary. You won't be able to do much good for us if you're dead!" Cap smiled for the sixth time in ten minutes and gave her a mock military salute.

"Sir, yes, sir!" he cried jokingly in military fashion, earning a glare from Gaia. Gaia's concentration grew then, and she sent a telepathic message to the Heart Planeteer. "Ma-Ti! Tell the others to go to PlanetVision! We have an eco-emergency! I'll be there in a moment." She saw the Planeteers stop the game and the group ran to PlanetVision. She waved goodbye to Cap and faded out of sight.

As soon as she was gone, Cap felt a sudden small pain near his heart. This pain surprised him, since he never felt pain like that until he was exposed to pollution after being summoned by the Planeteers. However, he shook it off and "slept", letting himself recharge fully before he was to be needed.

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Please R&R! Tis my first CP fanfiction, I need reviews if I am to get better! Second chapter should be up this weekend!


	2. Best Friends

Author's Note: I apologize for not updating this story sooner. I lost my original inspiration for the story and it took me a while to figure out just what to do with it. However, I have now completely planned out for this story to have at least 10 chapters; it may end up being more, depending on how long the chapters turn out.

This story was formerly entitled "The Pain of Our Hearts"; due to my changed plans for the story, I have given it the new title "The Life of a Hero".

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Chapter 2: Best Friends

Wheeler, Linka, Gi, Kwame, and Ma-Ti managed to beat Looten Plunder and didn't call Cap until Linka had used her ring to blow some of the smog out of the area. Cap cleaned up the toxic materials, disposed of them properly, and shut down the eco-villain's mining platform. Unfortunately, Looten Plunder managed to escape.

"Aw, man!" Wheeler cried. "He got away!"

"Yes, he did, but at least we are all to beink all right," Linka reminded him. He smiled as he slid an arm around her waist, and was shocked when she made no move to get away from him. But he quickly hid that surprise.

"I guess you're right, babe," he agreed.

"She _is_ right, Wheeler," Kwame added.

"Yes, we were able to successfully shut down Looten Plunder's operation before anyone got seriously hurt," Ma-Ti pointed out.

"And we did it together!" Gi finished triumphantly.

"You are _all_ right," Cap said, praising the group. "If all of you work together, then you'll be able to do much more than you would each be able to do individually. You can do _anything_. I truly believe in all of you. Remember, as I have said before, the power to make a change lies inside you," he continued, putting a hand over the area where his heart was as a gesture, "not in your rings. Always remember, the power is yours!" he cried as he jumped into the air, the powers separating themselves and returning to their respective rings.

--

A few minutes later, Cap came out of his recharge state, only to find that Gaia was waiting for him, something that was rather unusual to him.

"You work yourself way too hard, Planet," she murmured, clicking her tongue. "You push yourself until you have almost nothing left. I worry about you."

"It's fine, Gaia… someone has to protect you, and no one else has the ability to do so!" he replied, moving toward her.

"Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't like it. I don't like you putting yourself in so much danger," she asserted, feeling her chest tighten a bit. And yet, she knew this time it was NOT the result of a pollution outbreak.

As Cap gazed at the woman before him, touched by her concern for him, his throat choked up a bit, and he had to clear his throat before he could speak. "Don't worry about me, Gaia," he said gently, hugging her in an attempt to assure her that things would be okay. "I'll try to be more careful from now on... I promise you that I will _try_."

Gaia sighed softly, hugging her friend back. "I hate it when you do that," she muttered under her breath, though she couldn't help smiling.

Cap pulled away, grinning widely. "And yet somehow I still manage to get away with it," he teased her, laughing. Gaia shot him a playful glare.

"Keep it up, Planet… I can't guarantee what'll happen to you, though!" She chuckled slightly before calming down. "Honestly though, you deserve a day off once in a while." She thought for a moment before snapping her fingers in a sudden inspiration. "I know! The Planeteers will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a few days. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having an extra guest or two," she suggested, smiling at the blue superhero. "I'll be right back!"

Gaia disappeared for a few minutes, presumably to talk with the Planeteers. Then she returned, a triumphant smile on her face. "It's settled!" she announced proudly. "The Planeteers have invited the both of us to spend Thanksgiving with them. They'll summon us both when they're ready for us, and since neither of us require food, it makes their planning much easier."

Cap smiled at the thought of spending time with the Planeteers. It DID sound like it would be fun. "All right," he agreed, "I'll go with you; but you play really dirty for the spirit of the Earth!" The pair laughed as they moved to find a place where they could spend some time talking and reminiscing, both feeling strangely glad at the opportunity to spend an afternoon together. Being so near to each other made them both very happy, as it always did, and perhaps that was why they spent so much time together. Neither of them required anything but the other's company; they were content simply to be together.

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Please leave a review! Chapter 3 will be about the party!


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